Israel-Gaza conflict: Palestinian football team quits Malaysia Cup

The Palestine national football team has withdrew their participation in the Merdeka Cup tournament in Malaysia due to Israel-Gaza conflict.

The Malaysian football association announced this decision, citing the nature of the situation that has prevented the Palestinian team from traveling to Kuala Lumpur.

The tournament originally featuring four teams, including Palestine, Tajikistan, Malaysia, and India, has now been affected by the current withdrawal.

The opening match which was initially scheduled between Palestine and Tajikistan on Friday, has been canceled.

Tajikistan will now receive a bye to the final, while Malaysia and India are expected to go on with their fixture.

The tournament will run from Friday October 13, to Tuesday October 17. The ongoing conflict between Isreal and Hamas militants in the middle east, caused the unexpected development.

It is also noteworthy that the Palestine national team also faces upcoming qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup against Australia and Lebanon next month.

Additionally, they have qualified for the regional Asian Cup tournament in Qatar, scheduled to commence in January, 2024.